Comparison of Czech and Austrian approaches to the production of electricity from renewable resources: Difference between revisions

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Comparison of Czech and Austrian approaches to production of electricity from renewable resources
Comparison of Czech and Austrian approaches to production of electricity from renewable resources
Introduction
 
In the near future people will face challenge of emerging energy crisis and will have to solve this problem. We will deplete the resources of fossil fuels but our energy consumption will be increasing. There are two options how to struggle with this situation after that. We can use either nuclear energy or energy from renewable resources. Both options are right because in both ways our fossil fuels consumption will decrease and so the CO2 emission.  
In the near future people will face challenge of emerging energy crisis and will have to solve this problem. We will deplete the resources of fossil fuels but our energy consumption will be increasing. There are two options how to struggle with this situation after that. We can use either nuclear energy or energy from renewable resources. Both options are right because in both ways our fossil fuels consumption will decrease and so the CO2 emission.  
In Austria the energy consumption is increasing, so it is in the Czech Republic.
 
The energy mix of the Czech Republic and Austria is very different. The supply is highly influenced by geographical conditions that prevail in each country. Austria is on a good path to be sustainable whereas the situation in the Czech Republic is rather controversial. The other factors that influence energy mix are the decisions of policy makers and the mentality of citizens. In Austria, there are more generous subsidies for renewable resources, better marketing and public awareness. These are factors that can be changed also in the Czech Republic when civil society and media make bigger effort. The topic is also more popular in media. In the Czech Republic there are sufficient resources of coal and uranium. The potential of hydro energy in Austria is huge, 60 % of electric energy is made out of hydroelectric power plants. On the other hand, in the Czech Republic there is only 3 % of electricity made in hydroelectric power plants. The potential of Czech rivers in almost fulfilled. The further expansion is very limited due to unfavourable conditions. If the Czech Republic started to build new hydroelectric power plants, it would be only possible with huge investments and even then the electricity generated by those power plants would be very small.  
In both Austria and the Czech Republic energy consumption is increasing.
However, energy mix of the Czech Republic and Austria is very different. The supply is highly influenced by geographical conditions that prevail in each country. Austria is on a good path to be sustainable whereas the situation in the Czech Republic is rather controversial. The other factors that influence energy mix are the decisions of policy makers and the mentality of citizens. In Austria, there are more generous subsidies for renewable resources, better marketing and public awareness. These are factors that can be changed also in the Czech Republic when civil society and media make bigger effort. The topic is also more popular in media. In the Czech Republic there are sufficient resources of coal and uranium. The potential of hydro energy in Austria is huge, 60 % of electric energy is made out of hydroelectric power plants. On the other hand, in the Czech Republic there is only 3 % of electricity made in hydroelectric power plants. The potential of Czech rivers in almost fulfilled. The further expansion is very limited due to unfavourable conditions. If the Czech Republic started to build new hydroelectric power plants, it would be only possible with huge investments and even then the electricity generated by those power plants would be very small.  
Electricity generation in Czech and Austria – comparison
Electricity generation in Czech and Austria – comparison
In the Czech Republic more than half of electricity is generated in thermal power plants, whereas in Austria it is only x %. This huge disproportion can be explained with several factors. Firstly, in the Czech Republic, there are sufficient supplies of coal. Secondly, there are historical causes. During the communist era, there were only little concerns about the negative impacts of coal burning on the environment in Czech and the mentality of people is changing slowly. In 1990s when the solar era in Austria kickstarted, in Czech the main concern was to start nuclear power plant Temelín. The Czech energy concept for 2011-2060 counts with enormous reduction share of coal in energy mix in favour of nuclear energy.
In the Czech Republic more than half of electricity is generated in thermal power plants, whereas in Austria it is only x %. This huge disproportion can be explained with several factors. Firstly, in the Czech Republic, there are sufficient supplies of coal. Secondly, there are historical causes. During the communist era, there were only little concerns about the negative impacts of coal burning on the environment in Czech and the mentality of people is changing slowly. In 1990s when the solar era in Austria kickstarted, in Czech the main concern was to start nuclear power plant Temelín. The Czech energy concept for 2011-2060 counts with enormous reduction share of coal in energy mix in favour of nuclear energy.
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